


8) Fall back, regroup

by Munnin



Series: Hugin Chronicles [8]
Category: Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003) - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-11-01 02:23:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10912383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Munnin/pseuds/Munnin
Summary: The situation becomes political and the Jedi council intervene.





	8) Fall back, regroup

**Author's Note:**

> Based on characters created by Joe Hogan for the [ The Siren of Dathomir](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3z0kyf53Ds) and [ Panic Over Muunilinst ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3-_EnhMEDE).
> 
> Stolen, run away with, and abused with his permission.

Crispy didn’t speak till they got back to the ship but Fordo felt him seethe the whole run back. They had been close, close to getting some answer. But when the general called, you came. That was the point. 

It was the point of being who they were. 

Not slaves. Not commodities. 

Troopers.

And that meant duty, first and foremost. 

Gleeb and Ridley were just boarding as they arrived. Skate had the engines hot and the ship off the ground just enough that Fordo, the last to board, jumped to get it, Wrathor’s hand catching him and pulling him in. 

Perfect trust. As it should be.

Linc had the message up and was replaying it as they got their buckets off.

“Captain Fordo.” General Kenobi’s holographic form intoned, his brow furled in seriousness. “You and your men are to break off your search for your missing trooper and report to the fleet at once. The incident on Malastare had become… _political_.” There was something about the way General Kenobi said the word that made it sound unsavoury. 

“Skate?” Fordo called.

“We’re already on route.” Skate called back from the cockpit without hesitation. “I have fleet co-ordinates. We’ll rendezvous in just under two hours.” 

Fordo looked about at his troopers – some confused, some concerned. All of them getting on with their jobs. All but Crispy. Who just looked… lost.

Crispy looked up when Fordo crossed to him, “Why? Why would coming back to us be against his will? Why would she think he wouldn’t want to be rescued?”

“Why didn’t he respond to you on Malastare?” Fordo pointed out. “We don’t have a full set of data yet. But we know where he was last. That’s more than we had this morning.” He clapped Crispy on the arm. “Clean your equipment and eat something. We don’t know what we’re flying into. We all need to be ready.” 

***

Two hours later, the Red Mist squad turned out on the deck of the Republic flagship Adonis. Commander Rex met them. “At ease, troopers.” Rex waved to them, the scar at the corner of his eyes wrinkling as he reached out to clasps forearms with Fordo. “The generals are meeting with the council. General Kenobi asked me to bring you up to the briefing room.”

Fordo nodded for the others to follow, including Skate who lingered near the ship just in case. “What’s the word?”

Rex gave a small shrug as they trotted towards the briefing room. “I’m not fully briefed yet either but from what I hear, the Separatists are blaming the riots on Malastare on the Republic.”

“On us?” Fordo asked, bucket under his arm as they entered. 

“I’m afraid so, Captain.” General Kenobi muttered as he joined them in the outer room, a brief flash of blue showing as the council’s hologram faded. “As you know, Malastare is an independent system. The Republic offered aid in the aftermath of the disaster but the Separatist media is claiming that was a bribe, to bring Malastare under Republic rule. They’re blockading the planet, to _protect Malastare’s sovereignty_. Not content with preventing aid from reaching those who need it, they’re now claim the riots were started by Republic commandos. By your squad.”

Fordo felt his men bristle but General Kenobi held a hand up for silence and went on. “We know this to be nothing more than propaganda,” He sighed tiredly, “But the people of Malastare are suffering and they want someone to blame. It’s easier than accepting the truth – that hundreds were killed and thousands more wounded for no real reason at all.”

“What do you need us to do, sir?” Fordo asked crisply, already planning how they might assault a Separatist blockade.

General Kenobi glanced over his shoulders to where the council had been a moment ago. “The Council has ruled that you will lay low a while. And holt all efforts to find your lost trooper.”

“Why?” Crispy demanded, his temper flaring. “What does Hugin have to do with this?”

Far from being upset by this abruptness, Kenobi sighed tiredly again and brought up a view-screen, playing an intercepted Separatist news-holo. A clip containing footage of Hugin in his cut-down bucket visor, firing over the crowd to clear a path. The footage was clearer than any they’d been able to track down and doctored or cut to remove the two women. The clip implied Hugin was some new form of trooper, cloned and trained as a guerrilla fighter to cause unrest and civilian casualties on worlds that didn’t bow to the Republic. Other footage showed him scaling the side of the stadium, which cut to collapsed ruins and mutilated casualties. 

Only another trooper would know how to read the reactions in his brothers’ stoic expressions. Fordo saw it. Jat and Linc looked queasy. Wrathor, Ridley and Rezz looked murderous. Fernie, Skate and Gleeb looked worried. 

And Crispy… Crispy’s face was a blank, too shocked to react. “You don’t believe-” he started. 

But Kenobi held a hand up. “Do I believe that riot was caused by you or any Republic sanctioned action, no. By a lone extremist, perhaps.” They could all see Crispy’s temper rising. “By your missing man, no. That I do not believe. But there is doubt. And the council must investigate.”

“Then we go back and get him. Now.” Crispy turned, already heading for the door but Fordo caught his arm, armour clacking. 

“No.” General Kenobi ordered, his mellow voice edged with durasteel. “I’m sorry, Lieutenant Crispy. But you can have no part in this. None of you can. You are ordered to stand down your search and take no further part in the apprehension of CT-3050.”

“Hugin.” Crispy growled, even as Fordo’s hand on his arm tightened. “His name is Hugin.” 

“Apprehension?” Skate asked softly. 

“I’m afraid so.” The General went on. “These allegations, no matter how baseless, must be investigated. CT- Hugin,” he corrected, “has been MIA for over a year. And is believed to be in possession of classified information. We have no way of knowing what may have happened to him. Or been done to him. The only way to be sure is to bring him in and interrogate him.” It was clear in the Jedi’s face how distasteful he found the council’s ruling. 

“And what part will we play in this?” Linc asked, watching Crispy and Fordo out of the corner of his eye.

“You will be required to provide any tactical data you have on him and his last known location to the search and extraction team.” General Kenobi answered, and concisely as he could. As much as he sympathised, these were orders.

“And who will that be, sir?” Fordo asked levelly, one hand still on Crispy’s shoulder.

Obi-wan raised an eyebrow. “Tell me, Captain, how familiar are you with the Grey Jedi?”


End file.
